Two Easy Ways to Create Dramatic Camera Moves with a Slider

Having a slider with you on set is always an excellent way to create some buttery-smooth shots for your production. But, what if you want to take this approach to a whole new level? In the following production tutorial below, part of Premium Beat’s Awesome Cinematography series, Brent Pierce reveals a few must-know tips for creating unique camera moves using a slider. For these techniques, you will need nothing more than your mirrorless camera or DSLR, a couple of video heads, a tripod and, of course, your slider. Even though these tricks may seem simple and straightforward, you can create complex moves that will make your shots a way more interesting and engaging. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

The first technique Brent Pierce showcases is called a dutch angle dolly. In essence, this move combines the general slider movement with a dutch tilt move that creates a very dramatic perspective change for the viewers. To execute this technique correctly, you have to amend the position of your quick release plate placed on the bottom of your camera and turn it to 90 degrees.

This way you’ll be able to mount your camera sideways on the video head. So, when you push the camera in on the slider you also will be able to rotate it at the same time to perform the movement. The key to success here is to pull focus precisely, so probably you will need a camera assistant who can help you to complete the shot.

On the second occasion, you can utilize two tripod heads to perform another angled shot. Again, you need to turn sideways both the quick release plate on the bottom of the slider along with the one attached to the bottom of your camera. This way you’ll be able to control not only the tilt of your camera, and the angle of the slider, but also, it will be easier for you to keep your camera level.

All in all, this combo will allow you to do a neat angled move, thus making your shots look more attractive and appealing to your viewers. Having a nice and sturdy tripod for the setup is a mandatory prerequisite.

Alternatively, you can secure the latter with a few sand backs to keep it tight and steady. So, there you go! Just position your camera, make sure that you have a nice foreground element to create an appealing parallax movement, do the framing and hit record. It’s just as simple as that!

If you have more tips and tricks worth noting feel free to share those in the comments below.